Castle Trostburg

One of the jewels among the many castles that dot the landscape is undoubtedly the Trostburg, towering over the lower Isarco valley. Developed into a high-impregnable fortress in the 17th century, this massive medieval castle complex impresses visitors with its unparalleled attractions and with its special atmosphere.

Castle Trostburg is mentioned in documents going back to 1173 but the keep and the great hall date back to the early 13th century. It belonged to the monastery of Bressanone and the von Velthurns family held it as a fief, though they were little more than robber barons. The castle later passed first to the Counts of Tyrol and then to the Counts of Wolkenstein, of which one family member, Oswald von Wolkenstein, achieved considerable fame in German literature as a "Minnesänger" or troubadour.

In a guided tour the visitor will see well-kept and richly-furnished rooms, such as the splendid knight's hall with its coffered ceiling, the richly-decorated manorial "Stube", among many others.

There is also a big "Torggl" or wine press on display, as well as an exhibition with small-scale models of many of South Tyrol's other castles.